Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a cleric, since it defines the level and number of spells he can cast and the difficulty to resist those spells. A high charisma grants him greater ability to channel energy. High strength and constitution scores are important to clerics who wade into melee combat.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Clerics are proficient with all simple weapons and with all armor and shields, except tower shields.

Spells: A cleric casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. A cleric gains one spell known at each level, which must be chosen from his domains, up to the highest level spells for which he has a listed number of spells per day. To cast a spell, a cleric must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a cleric’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a cleric can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score.

A cleric can not know or cast spells of an alignment opposite his own or that of his deity. A cleric uses his holy symbol as the divine focus of his spells.

Channel Energy (Su): A cleric is able to channel energy depending on his alignment. A good cleric channels positive energy while an evil cleric channels negative energy. A cleric who is neutral on this axis must choose which type of energy he channels when he acquires this ability, and this does not change unless he changes his alignment (see Code of Conduct below). Positive energy can be used to heal living creatures or damage undead creatures, while negative energy heals undead and damages the living.

Channeling energy is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Channel Energy may be used as either a touch effect (requiring a touch attack for unwilling targets) or an area effect with a 30-foot radius centred on the cleric. Unwilling creatures receive a Will save for half damage when Channel Energy is used as an area effect (DC equal to 10 + ½ the cleric’s level + the cleric’s charisma modifier).

Creatures healed by channel energy can not exceed their maximum hit point total. A cleric may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + his charisma modifier. The amount of energy channeled in each use is equal to 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every 2 levels thereafter (2d6 at 3rd level, 3d6 at 5th level, and so on).

A cleric must be able to present a holy symbol or some other instrument of his devotion to channel energy.

Cruelty/Mercy (Su): At 1st level and every 4 levels thereafter, the cleric may select one Cruelty or Mercy, dependent on alignment. When using the Channel Energy ability, the cleric also removes or imposes some condition. Each time he uses Channel Energy, he may choose to apply one Cruelty or Mercy that he knows. Clerics who channel negative energy gain Cruelties, while clerics who channel positive energy gain Mercies. If using Channel Energy as an area attack, only those who fail the saving throw are affected. If using Channel Energy against a single target, it receives a saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the cleric’s level + the cleric’s Charisma bonus) to negate the conditions if the touch attack hits. This ability does not stack with itself, but does stack with other abilities that remove or impose conditions.

At higher levels, Cruelties and Mercies are more potent, as listed in their description. The cleric can always choose to invoke a lower-level effect of the Cruelty or Mercy.

Cruelties impose conditions on the target. Select one Cruelty each time you gain the ability.

Curse: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy takes a penalty one ability score (chosen when the curse is applied, minimum 1) for 1 round. This penalty is equal to two times the number of cruelties the cleric knows. At 5th level this penalty lasts 1 minute instead. At 10th level the penalty lasts 1 minute per cleric level. At 15th level the penalty lasts 24 hours. At 20th level this penalty is permanent until removed. When used on undead, this Cruelty has the same effect as the Bless Mercy. Curse counters and dispels the Bless Mercy.

Daze: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is dazed for 1 round. At 5th level, the target is stunned for 1 round instead. At 10th level the target is paralyzed for 1 round. At 15th level, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute, receiving a new saving throw each round to break the effect. At 20th level, the target is paralyzed 1 minute with no additional saving throws. Daze counters and dispels the Celerity Mercy.

Dazzle: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is dazzled for 1 round. At 5th level, the target is blinded for 1 round instead. At 10th level the target is blinded for 1 minute. At 15th level, the target is blinded for 24 hours. At 20th level the blindness is permanent until removed. Dazzle counters and dispels the Vision Mercy.

Deafen: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is deafened for one round. At 5th level the target is deafened for 1 minute. At 10th level the target is deafened for 1 minute per cleric level. At 15th level the target is deafened for 24 hours. At 20th level, the deafness is permanent until removed. Deafen counters and dispels the Harken Mercy.

Fatigue: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is fatigued for 1 round. At 5th level the target is exhausted for 1 round instead. At 10th level the target is exhausted for 1 minute. At 15th level the target falls asleep for 1 minute, receiving an additional saving throw each round to wake. At 20th level, the target does not receive additional saving throws to wake up. Fatigue counters and dispels the Vigor Mercy.

Fear: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is shaken for 1 round. At 5th level the target is frightened for 1 round instead. At 10th level the target is frightened for 1 minute. At 15th level, the target is panicked for 1 minute. At 20th level the target cowers for 1 minute. Fear counters and dispels the Courage Mercy.

Overchanneling: Instead of imposing a condition, this ability increases the amount of energy the cleric can channel. He adds his cleric level to the damage or healing (to undead) each time he uses Channel Energy.

Rebuke Undead: An undead that is affected by Channel Energy is affected as though by a command from the cleric for 1 round. At 5th level, undead are instead affected as though by command undead for 1 minute. At 10th level, undead are instead affected as though by control undead for 10 minutes. At 15th level, undead are instead affected for 1 hour. At 20th level, undead are instead affected for 1 day. Undead so affected are also bolstered, gaining a bonus to their saving throws – equal to the number of Cruelties the cleric knows – against Channel Energy from clerics who channel positive energy. Rebuke Undead counters and dispels the Turn Undead Mercy.

Sickness: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy is sickened for 1 round. At 5th level the target is instead nauseated for 1 round. At 10th level the target is nauseated for 1 minute. At 15th level the target is helpless and prone for 1 minute, receiving a new saving throw each round to negate the condition. At 20th level the target is helpless and prone for 1 minute, but does not receive additional saving throws. Sickness counters and dispels the Hale Mercy.

Slow: A creature that is affected by Channel Energy has all movement speeds halved for 1 round. At 5th level, the target is slowed for 1 round instead. At 10th level, the target is further slowed, suffering the normal effects of slow but having its speed reduced to 5'. At 15th level, the target is affected for 1 minute instead of 1 round. At 20th level, the target suffers the normal effects of slow for 1 minute, but is unable to move from its current spot, though it may still take a standard or move action. Slow counters and dispels the Haste Mercy.

Mercies remove conditions from the target or improve their abilities in some way. Select one Mercy each time you gain the ability.

Bless: The target of this Mercy gains an enhancement bonus to a single ability score equal to two times the number of Mercies the cleric knows. This bonus lasts 1 round at 1st level, 5 rounds at 5th level, 1 minute at 10th level, 10 minutes at 15th level, and 1 hour at 20th level. Alternatively, it can be used to remove or reduce an ability penalty up to this number (instantaneous). When used on undead, this Mercy has the same effect as the Curse Cruelty. Bless counters and dispels the Curse Cruelty.

Celerity: Removes the dazed condition or grants an immediate swift action to the target. At 5th level the cleric can remove the stunned condition or grant an immediate move action. At 10th level he can remove the paralyzed condition or grant an immediate standard action. At 15th level he can remove petrification or grant an immediate full round action. At 20th level he can grant an immediate full round of actions. The cleric may not grant extra actions to himself. Celerity counters and dispels the Dazed Cruelty.

Courage: The target of this Mercy improves one step from panicked to frightened, from frightened to shaken, and from shaken to unaffected. At 5th level, the target improves by 2 steps. At 10th level, all fear affects are removed from the target. Alternatively, the cleric can grant the target a bonus equal to the number of Mercies he knows to all saving throws. This bonus lasts for 1 round at 1st level, 5 rounds at 5th level, one minute at 10th level, 10 minutes at 15th level, and 1 hour at 20th level. Courage counters and dispels the Fear Cruelty.

Hale: The target of this Mercy improves one step from helpless to nauseated, nauseated to sickened, and sickened to unaffected. At 5th level, the target improves by 2 steps. At 10th level, all sickness effects are removed from the target. Alternatively, the cleric can grant the target damage reduction equal to the number of Mercies he knows. This lasts 1 round at 1st level, 5 rounds at 5th level, 1 minute at 10th level, 10 minutes at 15th level, and 1 hour at 20th level.

Haste: Creatures affected by Channel Energy are gain a +10’ bonus to all movement speeds for 1 round. At 5th level, the target instead gains a +30’ bonus to all movement speeds for 1 round. At 10th level, the target is instead affected as though by haste for 1 round. At 15th level, the target is affected by haste for 1 minute. At 20th level, the target is affected by haste for 1 minute and may make a full attack at the end of a move. Haste counters and dispels the Slow Cruelty.

Overchanneling: Instead of imposing a condition, this Mercy increases the amount of energy the cleric can channel. He adds his cleric level to the healing or damage (to undead) each time he uses Channel Energy.

Turn Undead: Undead affected by Channel Energy are affected as though by halt undead for 1 round. At 5th level, affected undead instead flee as if frightened for 1 minute. At 10th level, affected undead flee as though panicked for 1 minute. At 15th level, affected undead cower for 1 minute instead. At 20th level, affected undead cower as long as the cleric remains in their presence (ie they can see and hear the cleric). Turn Undead counters and dispels the Rebuke Undead Cruelty.

Vigor: The target of this Mercy improves one step from unconscious to exhausted, from exhausted to fatigued, or from fatigued to unaffected. At 5th level the target improves by two steps. At 10th level all fatigue effects are removed from the target. Alternatively, the target can gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls per mercy known. This bonus lasts for 1 round at 1st level, 5 rounds at 5th level, 1 minute at 10th level, 10 minutes at 15th level, and 1 hour at 20th level. Vigor counters and dispels the Fatigue Cruelty.

Vision: Removes the dazzled condition or grants a +1 bonus to attack rolls and Perception checks for 1 round. At 5th level it can remove the blinded condition or grant the benefit of the blind-fight feat for 1 round. At 10th level, it can grant see invisibility for 1 round. At 15th level, it can grant see invisibility for 1 minute. At 20th level, it can grant true seeing for 1 minute. Vision counters and dispels the Dazzle Cruelty.

Domains: At 1st level, a cleric chooses a domains to which he has access. He selects his first spell known from this domain, and gains the domain power. If the cleric has a patron deity, these domains should be chosen from the deity’s list of domains. If he is devoted instead to a cause, the domains should match his ideals. He gains access to additional domains at 2nd level and 3rd level, 6th level, and 14th level. A cleric may not select a domain of alignment opposite his own or that of his deity.

Orisons: A cleric may cast any number of orisons (level 0 spells) he knows at will. A cleric knows 2 orisons at first level, and gains an additional orison known each time he gains a new level of spells (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 18th level). A cleric must have a Wisdom score of 10 or higher to cast orisons, and the saving throw difficulty is 10 + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier. Orisons cast with metamagic feats use up higher spell slots as normal.

Advanced Learning: At 4th level the cleric chooses a spell of 1st level or lower to add to his list of spells known. This spell can be from outside his known domains, but must be available on the general cleric spell list. He may not select a spell that is available only to a domain to which he does not have access (such as anyspell). At levels 8, 12, and 16 he gains an additional spell from outside his known domains, up to the maximum level listed on the table.

Domain Boost: At 11th level and 19th level, the cleric may choose one domain power to boost. Variables and bonuses from the domain ability increase by 1 (such as uses per day, caster level bonuses, and skill bonuses, and bonuses based on cleric level). If the domain grants an ability that has an area, range, or speed, increase it by 5 feet. If the domain grants class skills, you gain a +1 bonus to those skills. If the domain grants a feat that grants a bonus, likewise increase the bonus by 1. Domain boost can’t be applied to other domains. A cleric may select the same domain more than once for the Domain Boost, and its effects stack.

Avatar: At 20th level, the cleric’s devotion to his deity or cause reaches its pinnacle, and he is blessed with a godly boon. The cleric’s type changes to Outsider. He no longer needs to eat or sleep (though he must still rest to regain spells). He gains darkvision out to 60 feet. The cleric grows wings that grant him 60’ fly speed with perfect maneuverability. Clerics who channel negative energy gain batlike wings while clerics who channel positive energy gain birdlike wings. The colour is chosen by the cleric when this transformation takes place. Additionally, the cleric gains damage reduction 10, immunity to disease and poison, and 10 points of resistance to one chosen energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic).

In addition, the cleric gains one additional domain, including the domain power, and may select his final spell from this domain if desired.

Clerics who channel negative energy gain Great Cruelty. Living creatures affected by negative Channel Energy die on a failed saving throw, regardless of the damage dealt. Undead affected by Channel Energy have their hit point totals restored to full (with no need to roll) and are bolstered (+5 to saving throws vs positive Channel Energy).

Clerics who channel positive energy gain Great Mercy. Living creatures affected by positive Channel Energy have their hit point totals restored to full (with no need to roll) and are cured of all afflictions. Undead affected by Channel Energy are destroyed on a failed saving throw, regardless of the damage dealt.

Cleric Adaptations

These alternate cleric abilities simulate other divine casters that were eliminated in the Fulcrum rewrite. They progress essentially as a cleric except where noted.

Archivist

The archivist loses the cleric’s Cruelties/Mercies, as well as the Avatar class feature, and instead gains the following.

Dark Knowledge (Ex): Three times per day, an archivist can draw upon his expansive knowledge. An archivist unlocks new dark knowledge abilities as his level increases. An archivist can use call upon dark knowledge a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

Using dark knowledge requires a skill check of a type appropriate to the creature faced. An Arcana check reveals secrets of dragons and magical beasts, Dungeoneering pertains to aberrations, Expertise (local) covers humanoids and monstrous humanoids, Psionics covers psionic creatures, Religion covers undead, outsiders, and elementals, and Nature covers animals and plants. The DC of the check is 15. Most of the archivist's dark knowledge abilities increase in effectiveness if he succeeds on his Knowledge check by 10 or more. Dark knowledge can only be used once against any given creature.

The archivist's dark knowledge can affect a single creature or all creatures of the same race, depending on the effect used. A target creature must be within 60 feet, and the archivist must be aware of the creature's presence, although he need not have a line of sight to it. The effects of dark knowledge last for 1 minute, unless stated otherwise.

Tactics: The archivist knows the general combat behaviors of creatures of that race, granting his allies a +1 bonus to attack rolls made against them. For example, an archivist confronted by wolves who succeeded on his Survival check would grant his allies the attack bonus against all the wolves they fought in that encounter. For each 10 points by which the archivist’s check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by 1.

Puissance: Starting at 5th level, the archivist can use his dark knowledge to help his allies fight off the corrupting influence of other creatures. Allies within 60 feet of the archivist gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against the affected creature's abilities. For each 10 points by which the archivist’s check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by 1.

Foe: Starting at 9th level, an archivist can direct his allies to attack vital spots of his enemies. On a successful Knowledge check, he grants them a bonus to weapon damage rolls made against the target creatures equal to 1d6 points of damage. For each 10 points by which the archivist’s check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by 1d6.

Foreknowledge: Starting at 13th level, an archivist can better prepare his allies for the attacks of the affected creature, making it harder for the creature to land blows and successfully deal damage. Allies within 30 feet of the archivist gain a +1 insight bonus to Armor Class that applies to attacks by the affected creature only. For each 10 points by which the archivist’s check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by 1.

Dread Secret: By speaking aloud a dread secret of the target creature, an archivist of 17th level or higher can daze a target creature for 1 round. For every 10 by which the check exceeds the DC, the duration increases by 1 round.

Anti-Life Equation: By speaking the words of anti-life, a 20th-level archivist can force the target creature to make a Fortitude save or die. The difficulty class of this save is equal to 10 + ½ the archivist’s level + the archivist’s Intelligence bonus. For each 10 points by which the archivist exceeds the dark knowledge check DC, the saving throw DC increases by 1.

Shugenja

Channel Energy (Su): A shugenja’s Channel Energy and Cruelty/Mercy function only for creatures with the subtype of her Element Focus.

Element Focus: All shugenjas have a favored element: air, earth, fire, or water. A shugenja's choice of specialized element is sometimes determined by the shugenja order in which he studies. Shugenjas automatically gain the benefits of the Spell Focus feat (+1 to spell DCs) and a +1 caster level for spells from their favored element, regardless of its school.

As the cost of specializing in one element, a shugenja is prohibited from learning spells associated with its opposing element; air and earth are opposing elements, as are fire and water.

Sense Elements (Sp): As a full-round action, a shugenja can become aware of all sources of her element focus within 10 feet, including the size of the objects. By concentrating longer, a shugenja can either extend her magical senses or gather more information about the elements he has detected. Each additional round spent in concentration allows the shugenja to add 5 feet to the radius of his sense ability, to a maximum of 5 additional feet per shugenja level. Alternatively, the shugenja can focus on one source of the sensed element per round, attempting an Arcana check to determine more about that single item. The amount of information she learns depends on the check result:

20 or higher: General location (square containing it or nearest boundary if it is larger than a 5’ square)
25 or higher: Whether the item is natural or a spell effect (a normal Spellcraft check against DC 20 + spell level can then determine the nature of the spell effect)
30 or higher: Whether the item is a creature or an object
35 or higher: The exact nature of the item (for example whether a creature is an efreeti or a fire elemental, whether an object is gold or stone, whether air is breathable or not)

In subsequent rounds, a shugenja can retry his Spellcraft check on the same item, shift his attention to a different item, or extend the range of his senses. A 1st-level shugenja can use this ability three times per day plus her Charisma bonus.

Like many divination spells, a shugenja's sense elements ability is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.

Advanced Learning: The shugenja chooses her Advanced Learning spells from the shugenja spell list instead of the cleric spell list.

Spirit Shaman

The spirit shamans loses the cleric’s domain boost and avatar abilities. Instead they gain the following.

Channel Energy (Su): A spirit shaman’s channel energy ability affects only spirits. A spirit shaman can choose whether they are affected as though with negative energy or positive energy when she gains the ability. When using this ability against incorporeal creatures, a spirit shaman does not have to roll the normal 50% miss chance, the effect hits the spirits automatically.

Cruelty/Mercy: The spirit shaman gains the following options as either a cruelties or a mercies.

Physical Manifestation: A spirit shaman can force an incorporeal spirit to become partially physical, denying it of its immunity to nonmagical attacks, its 50% chance to ignore damage from magical weapons, and its ability to move through objects. This manifestation persists for one round at level one, and one additional round at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter.

Weaken Spirit: A spirit shaman can strip spirits of their defenses. A weakened spirit loses its spell resistance and damage reduction. This lasts one round at first level, and one additional round at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter.

Spirit Guide: All spirit shamans have a spirit guide, a personification of the spirit world. Unlike a familiar, a spirit guide is not a separate entity from a spirit shaman. She is the only one who can perceive or interact with her guide. It exists only inside her own mind and soul.

The spirit shaman's spirit guide confers greater awareness of spirits around her. She is able to see ethereal creatures as easily as she sees material creatures and objects and can distinguish between ethereal creatures and material ones, because ethereal creatures appear translucent and indistinct. She is also able to detect spirits as the spell at will.

The exact form of the spirit guide is chosen by the spirit shaman at 1st level, usually for the qualities it represents, as shown above. The exact form of a spirit guide is purely personal preference, and confers no special advantages or disadvantages.

Wild Empathy (Ex): Guided by her insight into animal spirits, a spirit shaman can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Persuasion check made to improve the attitude of a person. The spirit shaman rolls 1d20 and adds her spirit shaman level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

Exorcism (Su): Starting at 11h level, as a full-round action, a spirit shaman can force a domination effect or possessing creature or spirit out of the body it inhabits (for example, a ghost with the malevolence ability) by expending a use of Channel Energy. To exorcise a possessing creature, she makes a class level check adding her Charisma modifier against a DC of 10 + the possessing creature's HD + its Charisma modifier. If her result equals or exceeds the DC, she succeeds in forcing the possessor from the body, with the normal results based on its method of possession. A spirit so exorcised cannot attempt to possess the same victim for 24 hours.

Guided Spell (Sp): At 19th level, the spirit shaman’s spirit guide can concentrate on a spell on behalf of the spirit shaman, allowing the spirit shaman to take other actions. The spirit guide can concentrate on only one spell at a time, and uses the spirit shaman’s Concentration check if necessary.

Spirit Who Walks (Ex): At 20th level, a spirit shaman becomes one with the spirit world. She is forevermore treated as a fey instead of a humanoid for purposes of spells and magical effects. She may become incorporeal at will as a standard action. Additionally, she gains damage reduction 5/cold iron.

What is a Spirit?
Several of the spirit shaman's abilities affect spirits. For purposes of these abilities, a "spirit" includes any of the following creatures: all incorporeal undead, all fey, all elementals, creatures in astral form or with astral bodies (but not a creature physically present on the Astral Plane), all creatures of the spirit subtype (see Oriental Adventures), Spirit folk and telthors (see Unapproachable East), Spirit creatures created by spells such as dream sight or wood wose (see Chapter 7). In the spirit shaman's worldview, elementals and fey are simply spirits of nature, and incorporeal undead are the spirits of the dead.